Is a small sea turtles rookery doomed to local extinction? Decreasing nesting trends at the Paria Gulf,Venezuela

Small rookeries are rarely evaluated for marine turtles worldwide. Two species of sea turtles (Hawksbill, Eretmochelys imbricata; Leatherback, Dermochelys coriacea) nest on five main beaches of the northeast coast of the Paria Gulf in Venezuela. Population trends using generalized linear models at this rookery were assessed and compared with other small rookeries. Both species showed significant negative nesting trends: Nesting by critically endangered hawksbills decreased over nine seasons 2009–2017 (64–142 nests per year, General Linear Model Slope Value = ?0.061; data pooled for five beaches); similarly, vulnerable leatherback nests decreased across the same period in the main beach Los Garzos (0–69 nests/year; GLMSV = ?0.34). Besides human and natural predation of the nests, no significant environmental impacts affect the beaches except probably on Obispo Isthmus where a gas pipeline installation interrupted the nesting activity in 2014. Observed changes to the nesting trends in these small rookeries have a collective impact on broader conservation concerns for sea turtles in the region.     

Antibiotic resistant bacteria as bio-indicator of polluted effluent in the green turtles, Chelonia mydas in Oman

Antibiotic resistant bacteria were studied as bio-indicators of marine polluted effluents during egg-laying in green turtles. A non-invasive procedure for sampling oviductal fluid was used to test for exposure of turtles to pollution in Ras Al-Hadd, Oman, which is one of the most important nesting beaches in the world. Each sample was obtained by inserting a 15 cm sterile swab gently into the cloacal vent as the sphincter muscle is relaxed and the cloacal lining is unfolded to the outside. Forty turtles were sampled. A hundred and thirty-two species of bacteria from 7 genera were isolated. The dominant isolate was Citrobacter. Among the isolates 60.6% were multiple resistant to 15 tested antibiotics. The dominant resistance to antibiotics was ampicillin followed by streptomycin and sulphamethoxazole. Sampling oviductal fluid for resistant bacteria to antibiotics is valuable way to assess exposure to polluted effluents during feeding and migratory in turtles. Polluted effluents using bacteria as bio-indicator may influence reproductive potential in this endangered species.     

Leatherback turtle conservation in the Caribbean UK overseas territories: Act local,think global?

Leatherback turtles migrate across the jurisdictions of multiple sovereign states and present complex challenges to those responsible for their conservation. Concern for marine turtles has led to their protection under range state legislation and protective listing under a suite of multilateral environmental agreements. Evidence suggests that a distinct, reproductive sub-population of leatherback turtles is shared amongst a number of northern Caribbean range states, including the UK overseas territories (UKOTs) of Anguilla and the British Virgin Islands (BVI). The post-nesting movements of three female leatherbacks were tracked after they nested in Anguilla (n=1, tracked for 228 days) and the BVI (n=2, tracked for 12 and 13 days, respectively). These turtles used territories of multiple range states, with the leatherback tracked from Anguilla also migrating through high seas to foraging grounds in Canadian waters. In addition, a review of regional leatherback flipper tag return records helps define the range of this northern Caribbean nesting population (NCNP), which appears to be in recovery in some range states. While national legislation and conservation efforts appear to have contributed to these population recoveries, most relevant MEAs appear to have played little or no role. However, opportunities for constructive dialogue between NCNP range states exist under the Cartagena Convention the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT). UKOT conservation managers would, therefore, be justified in prioritising unilateral leatherback conservation action, and multilateral efforts through the Cartagena convention and regional fishery management mechanisms, over potentially costly accessions to additional MEAs.     

Understanding nesting ecology and behaviour of green marine turtles at Setiu,Terengganu, Malaysia

In this paper, we emphasize the importance of understanding the nesting ecology and nesting behaviour of green marine turtles (Chelonia mydas). Data were collected from 2007 until 2012 from nesting beaches at Setiu Terengganu, Malaysia. We focused on one of the beaches, Telaga Papan, based on data collected in 2012. We recorded the distribution of nesting areas, the emergence hour and the correlation between successful nesting attempts and false crawls. Telaga Papan had a significantly higher distribution of green marine turtle nesting compared with the other five beaches (ANOVA, F_5,42 = 8.874, P < 0.01, mean = 36.750 ± 3.727). The highest number of successful nesting attempts was recorded in 2012 (mean = 28.714). A majority of the species landed between 22:00 and 23:59 h (25%). There was a strong correlation between successful nesting attempts and false crawls (r_s = 0.883, P = 0.02). Based on these findings on the nesting ecology and nesting behaviour of green marine turtles, we suggest that scientific research, strict monitoring, awareness programs and policy implementation should be carried out proactively. Such activities are necessary to reduce the anthropogenic pressures at the nesting beaches as well as to ensure more successful nesting attempts of green marine turtles in Setiu.     

THE HETEROTROPHIC MICROBES IN DRY VALLEYS VICTORIA LAND AND ROSS ISLAND, ANTARCTICA

During the expedition from Dec. 1981 to Feb. 1982, Dry Valley, Victoria and Ross Island Beach in Antarctica were visited. From ten stations samples of water, soil, snows and seawater were collected, from which heterotrophic microbes (including bacteria, yeast and fungi) were isolated and identified. Results show that there are ten genera of bacteria, nine genera of yeast and nine genera of fungi. Most of the strains grow at the temperatures of 20℃ and 5℃, while a few grow only below 5℃. More bacterial genera were isolated from the beach and nearby lakes than those from the inland Dry Valley, indicating the relations between the strain composition and geographical location and environmental conditions of the polar zone.     

Monitoring hawksbill turtle nesting sites in some protected areas from the Persian Gulf

Iranian nesting populations of the critically endangered hawksbill turtle(Eretmochelys imbricate) are some of the most important in the Indian Ocean. In this study, four of the most important hawksbill nesting grounds in the Persian Gulf, situated within three Iranian marine protected areas, were surveyed during nesting season,including Nakhiloo, Ommolgorm and Kharko Islands and the mainland beaches of the Naiband Marine-Coastal National Park(NMCNP). We present GIS maps of these key nesting grounds and describe sand texture of key nesting zones, along with conservation recommendations. About 9.2(28.3%) out of 32.5 km of all shores surveyed in this study were used by nesting hawksbill turtles follows: Nakhiloo: 1.4 km(52% of potential nesting area);Ommolgorm: 1.94 km(40%); Kharko: 3.4 km(28%), and NMCNP: 2.46 km(18.9%). The average nesting density was calculated as 131 nests/km at Nakhiloo, 76 nests/km at Ommolgorm, 7 nests/km at Kharko, and 15 nests per km at NMCNP. Highest nesting density was observed in Nakhiloo and Ommolgorm. It is thought that high hawksbill nesting density in these islands seems likely a result of limiting adequate nesting shores rather than the size of population, and also low density in Kharko and NMCNP more related to past and current pressures and low population density. With the exception of Ommolgorm Island, sands at the nesting grounds were well sorted.Grain size indicated that female hawksbill turtles in the Iranian Persian Gulf nest in sands that are generally mixed, with mean grain size ranging from coarse sands(0.4Φ;～0.5–1 mm) to fine sands(2Φ;～0.25 mm). We provide and discuss conservation recommendations and suggestions for future.     

A helping hand: artificial nest site provisioning increases breeding success of a tropical seabird

Common white terns Gygis alba lay a single egg balanced on rocks or branches and consequently are at risk of low nesting success. A novel technique of hollowing out coconut husks and providing artificial nest sites was developed on Cousine Island, Seychelles. Our study aimed to critically assess whether common white tern nesting success differed between artificial and natural nest sites. For natural nest sites, nesting success and the stage of nest failure were also compared between seasons, nest heights, and tree species. Finally, we compared results from our study to those of a study conducted 10 years ago on the same island. Nesting success differed significantly between artificial nests and natural nests, with the success of artificial nests nearly double that of natural nests. Hatching success was similar for artificial and natural nests (65% and 52% respectively), suggesting coconut husks do not reduce egg losses, but rather provide secure perches for young chicks. Most natural nest failures occurred during the egg phase (70%), followed by the youngest chick phase (21%). Of the eggs that hatched in natural nests, 61% fledged successfully. Tree species and season significantly influenced nesting success for natural nests and nest height varied significantly between tree species. Higher nesting success was observed during the mixed seasonal period (50%) followed by the cooler, windier and drier South-East Monsoon season (33%). The hotter and more humid North-West Monsoon period had the lowest nesting success (20%). Comparisons of nesting success at natural and artificial nest sites with the earlier study did not differ significantly, despite a smaller population of common white terns being present on the island at that stage. Our results support the use of artificial nest sites to improve nesting success for this species and serve as a model for similar species currently under threat.     

Evaluating the impacts of coastal squeeze on sea turtle nesting

Recent studies have provided theoretical and empirical evidence about the importance of hatchling production for sea turtle population dynamics. Therefore, understanding the effect of nesting habitat loss as a factor leading to hatchling reduction is essential in order to establish conservation plans for the recovery of sea turtle populations. In the present study, we developed a method to quantify habitat loss and link it with hatchling production. We used data for loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) collected at Sekania nesting beach, western Greece, to describe biological and behavioral attributes of nesting individuals. Spatial characteristics of the nesting site were analyzed and alternative scenarios of habitat loss were examined. We then used circle-packing technique to evaluate the impact of an increasingly reduced available nesting area on the spatial distribution of nests. An increased number of nests within the study site resulted in density-dependent processes regulating hatchling production. Under the different scenarios, we evaluated the risk of the laying nests exceeding the estimated carrying capacity of the nesting beach. Our results clearly demonstrated the need to apply direct and efficient conservation measures at Sekania nesting site to minimize further habitat loss from human-related processes and a rising sea level. The approach developed evaluates the effect of habitat loss upon nesting by linking it with quantifiable processes (density dependence), providing a conservation tool to guide planning decisions towards the conservation of the sea turtle population.     

Facteurs de mortalité observés chez les tortues marines dans le golfe de Gascogne

Factors of mortality in marine turtles near the French coast of the Bay of Biscay have been recorded for four species: leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea), loggerhead (Caretta caretta), Ridley's turtle (Lepidochelys kempii) and green turtle (Chelonia mydas). Most accidental captures of D. coriacea by fishing gears lead to drowning, but the main threat for the species is the ingestion of floating waste. Plastic bags induce occlusion or lesions in the stomach and subsequent death. For C. caretta, L. kempii and C. mydas, the pathology points out mainly two features: external or internal mycosis.     

海南红树林根系土壤中可培养细菌的多样性分析

为研究海南红树林根系土壤细菌多样性,充分发掘中国红树林特有微生物资源,作者于2012年12月份从10份采集于海南北港岛红树林根系淤泥样品中分离可培养海洋细菌,并基于16S rRNA基因序列分析的方法对样品中的细菌多样性进行研究。共分离得到122株海洋细菌,经并菌后选取其中的70株代表性菌株测序,结果发现它们分为4个类群:变形菌门(主要为γ-变形菌纲)(Proteobacteria)、拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes)、厚壁菌门(Firmicutes)和放线菌门(Actinobacteria),分别占66%,19%,11%和4%。共代表30个属47个种,其中有9个潜在新种和2个潜在新属。本研究结果表明,北港岛红树林中存在着丰富的细菌多样性,很多类群可能是红树林特有细菌物种。     

Bacterial communities fluctuate in abundance and diversity under simulated oil-contaminated seawater conditions

Marine bacteria have recently been identified as a potent solution for petroleum hydrocarbon degradation in response to hazardous oceanic oil spills. In this study, a mesocosm experiment simulating a petroleum spill event was performed to investigate changes in the abundance, structure, and productivity of bacterial communities in response to oil pollution. Cultured heterotrophic bacteria and total bacteria showed a consistent trend involving an immediate decrease in abundance, followed by a slight increase, and a steady low-level thereafter. However, the changing trend of bacterial productivity based on bacterial biomass and bacterial volume showed the opposite trend. In addition, the density of oil-degrading bacteria increased initially, then subsequently declined. The change in the bacterial community structure at day 0 and day 28 were also analyzed by amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis (ARDRA), which indicated that the species diversity of the bacterial community changed greatly after oil pollution. Alphaproteobacteria (40.98%) replaced Epsilonproteobacteria (51.10%) as the most abundant class, and Gammaproteobacteria (38.80%) became the second most dominant class in the whole bacterial community. The bacterial communities in oil-contaminated seawater (32 genera) became much more complex than those found in the natural seawater sample (16 genera). The proportion of petroleum-degrading bacteria in the oil-contaminated seawater also increased. In this study, culture-dependent and culture-independent approaches were combined to elucidate changes in both bacterial productivity and community structure. These findings will contribute to a better understanding of the role that bacteria play in material cycling and degradation in response to oil pollution.     

俄罗斯库页岛潮间带沉积物可培养细菌的系统发育多样性

采用2216E、R2A、M1培养基,首次从俄罗斯库页岛潮间带沉积物样品中分离到82株可培养海洋细菌,经查重并菌后选取其中45株具有代表性的菌株进行了16S r RNA基因序列分析和多样性研究。结果发现,它们共分布于变形细菌门(Proteobacteria)、放线菌门(Actinobacteria)、拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes)和厚壁菌门(Firmicutes)4个类群(分别占45株代表菌株的42.2%、20.0%、20.0%和17.8%),代表着6个纲、27个属、44个种;同时发现其中有8个潜在新种和1个潜在新属。本研究结果表明,俄罗斯库页岛潮间带沉积物可培养细菌的系统发育多样性非常高,大部分菌株与分离自日本和韩国近海的细菌物种在系统发育关系上高度同源,但也存在不少潜在的新物种。     

基于多种培养基和不同培养温度的马里亚纳海沟异养细菌多样性分析

马里亚纳海沟具有低温、高压、永久黑暗以及营养匮乏等深海环境特征,其中的细菌多样性对深海环境具有极为重要的作用.为研究马里亚纳海沟海水中异养细菌的物种多样性,采用多种培养基、不同培养温度同步筛选,单菌落16S rRNA基因序列鉴定,邻近法系统发育树构建分析等方法,对25个海水样品进行异养细菌多样性分析.共获得细菌531株...     

People helping turtles, turtles helping people: Understanding resident attitudes towards sea turtle conservation and opportunities for enhanced community participation in Bahia Magdalena, Mexico

In Pacific Mexico, all five sea turtle species have declined over the past century due to intense overexploitation of meat and eggs, fisheries bycatch, and degradation of marine and nesting habitats. One of the most heavily impacted areas has been the Baja California peninsula, where sea turtle populations remain historically low despite existing conservation measures that include a complete moratorium on the use of sea turtles, over three decades of widespread protection of nesting beaches, and in-water monitoring of sea turtles at coastal foraging areas. We recognize the need for alternative sea turtle conservation strategies that rely on increased participation of civil society and Mexican citizens. The purpose of this paper was to identify resident attitudes towards sea turtle conservation and opportunities for enhanced community participation in Bahia Magdalena, a region in Baja California Sur, Mexico experiencing high levels of sea turtle poaching and bycatch in fisheries. Through semi-structured interviews we found that while residents were overwhelmingly interested in participating in sea turtle conservation, peer pressure and conflict within the community presented major challenges. The majority of residents indicated that sea turtle voluntourism would have a positive impact on their community. Economic incentives and increased protection for sea turtles were mentioned as benefits of sea turtle voluntourism, whereas peer pressure, difficulty obtaining permits and producing effective marketing materials, and doubt about direct economic benefits were cited as constraints. We discuss our results in terms of opportunities, challenges, and recommendations for improving community-focused sea turtle conservation throughout the region.     

胶州湾沉积物中石油降解菌的降解能力及多样性研究

2013年青岛输油管道爆炸,大量石油污染了附近海岸。课题组采集了污染的沉积物样品,以原油为唯一碳源和能源,富集了四个石油降解菌群。生物多样性和群落分析表明,Luteibacter、Parvibaculum 和属于食烷菌科的一个属是降解菌群的主要优势菌,都属于变形菌门。从石油降解菌群中分离筛选,获得了9株具有不同16S rRNA基因序列的降解菌,分别属于8个属。重量法测定降解菌的石油降解率,其中5株的石油降解率大于30%。GC-MS分析结果表明,石油降解菌多倾向于降解烷烃,对多环芳烃的降解能力较差,其中5株细菌的烷烃降解率较大,仅1株菌D2对多环芳烃的降解率较大,其降解率在34.9%到77.5%。通过对高通量数据的分析,表明食烷菌属是菌群A和菌群E的主要降解菌群,其中筛选获得的菌株E4可能是菌群E的一株优势降解菌。本研究所筛选菌株证明了其石油降解潜力,为油污染海滩生物修复提供了菌株资源。     

Contribution of trimethylamine N-oxide on the growth and pressure tolerance of deep-sea bacteria

Trimethylamine N-oxide(TMAO) is widely dispersed in marine environments and plays an important role in the biogeochemical cycle of nitrogen. Diverse marine bacteria utilize TMAO as carbon and nitrogen sources or as electron acceptor in anaerobic respiration. Alteration of respiratory component according to the pressure is a common trait of deep-sea bacteria. Deep-sea bacteria from dif ferent genera harbor high hydrostatic pressure(HHP) inducible TMAO reductases that are assumed to be constitutively expressed in the deep-sea piezosphere and facilitating quick reaction to TMAO released from ?sh which is a potential nutrient for bacterial growth. However, whether deep-sea bacteria universally employ this strategy remains unknown. In this study, 237 bacterial strains affliated to 23 genera of Proteobacteria,Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes and Actinobacteria were isolated from seawater, sediment or amphipods collected at dif ferent depths. The pressure tolerance and the utilization of TMAO were examined in 74 strains. The results demonstrated no apparent correlation between the depth where the bacteria inhabit and their pressure tolerance, regarding to our samples. Several deep-sea strains from the genera of Alteromonas, Halomonas,Marinobacter, Photobacterium, and Vibrio showed capacity of TMAO utilization, but none of the isolated Acinebacter, Bacillus, Brevundimonas, Muricauda, Novosphingobium, Rheinheimera, Sphingobium and Stenotrophomonas did, indicating the utilization of TMAO is a species-speci?c feature. Furthermore, we noticed that the ability of TMAO utilization varied among strains of the same species. TMAO has greater impact on the growth of deep-sea isolates of Vibrio neocaledonicus than shallow-water isolates. Taken together, the results describe for the ?rst time the TMAO utilization in deep-sea bacterial strains, and expand our understanding of the physiological characteristic of marine bacteria.     

Impact of protective shark nets on sea turtles in KwaZulu-Natal,South Africa, 1981–2008

Shark nets were established along the KwaZulu-Natal coast in 1952 to protect bathers against shark encounters. Sea turtle bycatch data for the period 1981–2008 in these shark nets indicated that loggerheads Caretta caretta were caught most frequently at 40.9 y^–1 or 1.11 km-net^–1 y^–1, followed by green turtles Chelonia mydas at 0.32 km-net^–1 y^–1 and leatherbacks Dermochelys coriacea at 0.14 km-net^–1 y^–1. Catch rate of loggerheads increased throughout the study period, and was positively correlated with the increase in the number of nesting females from the recovering population in Maputaland, South Africa (r = 0.52, p < 0.05, n = 28). This increase is ascribed to successful nest conservation. Leatherback bycatch remained stable, following their nesting trends, although they receive similar conservation efforts on nesting beaches as loggerheads. Bycatch of green turtles, although not a nesting species in South Africa, was stable over time. Mortality varied between species (from 53.2% to 70.6%) with loggerheads being the most hardy, followed by leatherbacks and green turtles. Few hawksbills Eretmochelys imbricata and olive ridleys Lepidochelys olivacea were caught in the shark nets. Fewer sea turtles are caught by shark nets than by longlines and because the nesting populations of loggerheads, green turtles and leatherbacks are either stable or increasing in the South-West Indian Ocean, shark net bycatch was considered negligible and sustainable.     

全国海水浴场及经济贝类中腺病毒的分布

为分析全国海水浴场、贝类增养殖区人类肠道腺病毒的污染状况,采用超滤浓缩方法,TaqMan探针实时定量PCR技术对其进行了定量。结果表明,全国10个海水浴场表层海水中腺病毒的阳性检出率为35%,含量为1.1×107~2.8×107 copies/L。在离岸100m和1 000m处腺病毒的分布无显著差别(p0.05);在调查的162份贝类样品中,腺病毒的阳性检出率为11.7%,含量为2.4×104~3.1×105 copies/g。6类经济贝类中牡蛎带病毒量最高。由此可见,全国范围内海水浴场表层海水和主要增养殖区经济贝类中腺病毒污染比较普遍,尤其以山东、辽宁和浙江三省最为严重,给洗浴者和消费者健康造成潜在威胁。人类肠道腺病毒可以很好地指示粪便污染,调查其在海水浴场和经济贝类中的分布,可以帮助公众预警胃肠道病毒的暴发流行,本研究为开展全国腺病毒的环境风险评估和分子流行病学调查奠定了良好的基础。     

Nesting ecology and hatching success of the hawksbill turtle (2004–2014) on Cousine Island,Seychelles

Populations of the Critically Endangered hawksbill turtle Eretmochelys imbricata in the Seychelles showed significant declines in the past. They have since recovered and nesting numbers are increasing because of increased protection and management intervention. Data on their nesting ecology on Cousine Island were collected and analysed for the breeding seasons from 2004/2005 to 2013/2014 with the aim of improving management methods. The findings indicate that the number of nesting individuals increased during the study period (from x? = 34.3 nesters between 2004 and 2009, to x? = 55.4 nesters between 2010 and 2014); however, the clutch frequency was relatively low compared with other study areas. Night-time nesting increased, most likely because of increased disturbances across the study period. Clutch sizes decreased significantly across the nesting season, and there was a significant drop in hatching success in clutch sizes exceeding 200 eggs. The predation rate and infertility rate each showed an increasing trend over time. Nests incubating in full sun showed the highest mean hatching success rate and had the shortest mean incubation duration. The present study provides insight into the species’ nesting ecology on Cousine Island and will better inform management decisions aimed at increasing hatching success and minimising threats such as beach erosion and predation.